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(No Model.) v V D; P. WOLHAUPTER. KEY FOR TYPE WRITING MAGHINES.

No. 497,483. Patented May 16, 1893.

PATENT rrrcn.

DAVID P. WOLIIAIIPTER, on WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

KEY FOR TYPE-WRITING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 497,483, dated May 16, 1893. Application filed February 2, 1893. Serial No- 460,746. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,-DAvI1) PJWOLHAUPTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Key for. Type Writing and other Key-Operated Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to keys for typewriting, and other key-operated, machines.

The main and primary object of the invention is to provide an improved key of the character noted that will combine the essential qualities of simplicity, inexpensiveness and efliciency. It is well known that the typewriters, type-setting machines, cash registers and other similar key-operated machines ordinarily used, employhard unyielding symbol or letter keys. In typewriters particularly, where the use is generally more constant and the work more continuous, such hard, inflexible, unyielding keys area source of complaint, because of the jar and pain sus tained by the fingers; It is plainly evident that where the tips of the fingers are rapidly and frequently brought into striking-contact with a hard object, a severe jarring of the muscles and nerves of the fingers necessarily follows, and therefore this is true with respect to the ordinary hard symbol keys for key-op-t erated machines, the frequent use'of which results in tiring the operator, and invariably producing sore and painful finger tips. Now, the present invention contemplates a key that will avoid these apparent disadvantagesof, and objections to, the ordinary keys as have been briefly detailed, and to this end a key which will therefore render key-manipulation much less laborious and. tiresome to the active operator, while at the same time it is contemplated to provide a complete key-attachment, for the class of machines referredto, so that the keys can be easily removed and replaced without disturbing the key-sockets, key-bars, or other parts of the machine, as is now usually the case in replacing keys. This latter object is of special importance to the manufacturer as being thus able to keep in stock, inexpensive, detachable, and changeable keys capable of ready removal and attachment.

A further object may be stated to be to provide a key, which, while simple and inexthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

, In the accompanying drawings:F igure l is a perspective view of a typewriter key con structed in accordance with my invention as applied to a key-lever of a typewriter. Fig. 2 is a similar view of my improved key shown as applied to a key rod or'arm of certain typewriters, and other key-operated machines not having the key attached directly to the keybar or lever. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the adaptation shown in'Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the adaptation shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 isa sectional view showing a modification. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective View of a light key with a dark letter molded therein. Fig. 7 'is a similar view of a dark key with a white letter molded therein. Fig. 8 is adetail in perspective of the preferred form of key socket. Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the key having the letter recess unfilled. Fig. 1.0 is a similar view showing the letter recess filled.

Referring to the drawings: A, in Figs. 1

and 3, represents an ordinary key-bar or 10- ver, such as is employed inthe Remington and other similar typewriter machines. Arranged on the key-end of said bar or lever is the conical or tapered key-socketB, which is stamped out of suitable light metal in any ap- I proved manner, so as to provide a socket having a finish in keeping with the other parts of the machine to which it is attached.

The conical or tapered socket B is provided upon the bottom side thereof with the parallel depending attachment ears or flanges 0,

adapted to embrace and be secured to a keybar or lever of the class of machines referred to, or with a threaded perforation D, which is adapted to receive the upper screw-threaded end E, of a key rod or arm F, of certain other classes of. typewriters and key-operated machines.

At the upper reduced end of the key socket, the same is extended laterally into a slightly downwardly inclined stop-flange G,whieh conforms to the shape of the socket, and the downward angle of which is not sharply defined in order to secure the results to be noted.

Removably sprung into engagement with the open'socket B, is the solid body soft-rubber key H, which is preferably molded into the shape illustrated clearly in most of the figures of the drawings,with the exception of the modification shown in Fig. 5. In manufacturing the key II, the same may be molded in anysuitable mold, which does not form a part of the present invention, and as illustrated is provided with a flat under shouldered portion I, from which is extended a beveled or tapered securing tongue .T, adapted to be compressed between the fingers and sprung into the open socket B, so as to provide efficient means whereby keyscan be readily and quickly removed and replaced at will, or as occasion may demand. By reference to Figs. 3 and 4t particularly, it will be observed that owing to the .taper of the open socket, and the corresponding taper or bevel of the key, a firm attachment of the key to the key-bar or arm is secured, so that there is no possibility of the key becoming displaced eXcept by slight force, which, when applied with the fingers, will be sufficient to remove akey from its socket. It will also be observed that after a key is insertedinits socket, the lower end of the tongue thereof is out of contact with the bottom of the socket in order to leave space K, which will accommodate any central yielding on the part of the soft rubber key when the fingers strike fairly on top and in the center of the key.

Owing to the fact that the keys are made of rubber sufficiently soft so as to avoid any jarring of, or hard contact for, the fingers in striking the same, it naturally follows that when such keys are struck as just noted, there necessarily will be a tendency to a central compression of the rubber, which, if the key rested at,its bottom on an unyielding support, would harden the rubber, but the space K avoids this, and gives as perfect a cushion to the striking finger as it is possible to secure, without affecting the free, full movement of the key-controlled bar or lever.

In order to secure the full cushion-effect of the rubber key, by allowing an auxiliary central and side edge yielding, the same is practically supported on the upper edge of the open socket, so that the fiat shouldered portion I, thereof, lies directly over and normally out of contact with the slightly declining stopflange G. The fiat shoulder I, normally occupies a plane at right angles to the Vertical center of the socket so as to lie slightly above the flange G. Now it will be obvious, that in case the finger tip does not strike fairly in the center of the'key, and strikes a side edge thereof, or at any point away from the center, such portion which the finger comes in contact with, yields, and is forced down onto the flange G, which arrests the yielding motion so that any appreciable force of the blow will not be lost. By the time the rubber key, or the portion thereof struck, is brought into contact with the flange G, the finger is relieved of any hard contact, or jar, but the rubber of the key itself also yields so as to insure a perfect cushion for the finger.

In certain key-operated machines the keys are of different colors so as to distinguish capitalsfrom small letters, or to distinguish between upper and lower case letters. To ad apt the present invention forsuch use Icontemplate the construction of the keyasbest seen in Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the drawings, and a in such figures it will be observed that I mold the body of the key with a symbol or letter recess K, in the top thereof, and conforming to the configuration of the particular symbol or letter for each key. Nowassuming the body of the key to be a light shade of so'ftrubher as seen in Fig. 6, I mold into or fill up the said symbol or letter recess K,-with a symbol or letter filling L, of a dark, or black shade of rubber of the same flexibility and degree ofpliability as the body-of the key itself, and being flush with the top face of the key body,presents no edge or offers no resistance whatever to the full cushion-effect of the key. For dark keys, as shown in Fig. 7, the same method is observed, but the key-body is of dark rubber and the symbol or letter molded therein of a light shade. Although constructing a soft rubber key with asymbol or letter formed in the body thereof, provides means for carrying out the effectual cushioningof the striking finger, at the same time it obviates-the necessity of enameling symbols and letters on keys, or placing independentsyim bols and letters in position on'the key.

Slight modifications of the socket andkey may be observed as shown in Fig. 5, in which the open socket B, is not tapered and the key A, is provided with an unbeveled tongueJ.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herei n-described flexible key will be apparent without further description, and it will also be apparent that its use may be extended to all forms of typewriters, type-setting niachines, cash-registers, and other key operated machines.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

1. A cushion key of the class described-having an auxiliary central and side edge yield, substantially as set forth.

2. In a device of the class described, an open socket, and a cushion key removably sprung into engagement with said socket, substair tially as set forth.

3. A yielding solid bodycushion key adapt ed to be removably attached to the key bar, lever, or rod of key-operated machines, substantially as set forth.

.4. A yielding rubber key, of the class described, removably supported in position at one end of a key bar, lever, or rod and adapted to have an independent auxiliary central and side edge yield,substantially as set forth.

5. In a device of the class described, an open socket, and a soft rubber'symbol or letter key having a tongue removably sprung into en-. gagement with said socket, substantially as set forth.

6. In a device of the class described, an open tapered or conical socket, and a soft-rubber cushion symbol or letter key having a beveled tongue adapted to be 'removablysprung into engagement with said open socket, substantially as set forth.

7. In adevice of the class described, an open metallic socket having a slightly declining stop-flange surrounding its upper edge, and a contact with the bottom of the same, and a flat under shouldered portion normally out of contact with said slightly declining flange, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DAVID P. WOLIIAUPTER. Witnesses:

LORENA TUNE, MINNIE MILLER. 

